Wed Nov 19 03:07:56 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten news article:

Summary:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has strongly criticized the BJP-led central government for rejecting Metro Rail project proposals for Madurai and Coimbatore. He argues that the rejection, based on the cities’ 2011 census population being under 2 million, is politically motivated and a biased act against the opposition-ruled state of Tamil Nadu. Stalin vows to secure the Metro projects for these cities despite the central government’s opposition, drawing parallels to past challenges with the Chennai Metro.

News Article:

Stalin Accuses Centre of Politically Motivated Metro Rail Denial for Madurai and Coimbatore

CHENNAI, November 19, 2025 – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government, accusing it of denying Metro Rail projects to the cities of Madurai and Coimbatore based on politically biased reasoning.

In a statement posted on X, Stalin condemned the central government’s decision, citing its reliance on the 2011 census figures, which place both cities’ populations below the 2 million threshold stipulated in the Metro Rail Policy, 2017. He asserted that the BJP government is using this criterion as a pretext to punish Tamil Nadu for its democratic choices, favoring BJP-ruled states with Metro projects in smaller cities while depriving opposition-led states.

“The Union BJP treats Tamil Nadu’s democratic choice as a reason to take revenge,” Stalin stated, adding that the state will not accept such a distortion of federal principles.

He highlighted past obstacles faced during the Chennai Metro project and vowed to overcome the current challenges with the same determination. “With the same determination, we will secure the Metro Rail that Madurai and Coimbatore need for their future growth,” he declared.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs justified its decision based on the 2011 census, which reported Coimbatore’s population at 15.84 lakh and Madurai’s at 15 lakh. However, the Tamil Nadu government argues that these figures are outdated and do not reflect the current growth and needs of the cities. The controversy is likely to escalate tensions between the state and central governments.

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